Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Government of Timor-Leste in the implementation of the GEF Medium Size Project (MSP) “ Strengthening targeted national capacities to improve decision-making and mainstreaming global environmental obligations into national development priorities”.   Timor-Leste is fully committed to meet its obligations under the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), with this project (among other related projects) intended to facilitate an important step towards developing the capacities in Timor-Leste for an effective national environmental management framework.

The project is assisting the Government of Timor-Leste to achieve the national priorities it has set in its National Strategic Development Plan for 2011 to 2030, and in its current annual National Priorities by enhancing national capacities.  This project is designed to build the capacity of the agencies to engage effectively together in the series of concurrent national assessment and planning exercises, the subsequent development and implementation of policies and substantial programme, and the monitoring of results and strengthening of future planning and actions.  More specifically, this project will address specific cross-cutting capacity development priorities identified in the NCSA in order to catalyze Timor-Leste’s more effective participation in environmentally sound and sustainable development in a way that produces co-benefits for the global environment.  Thus, the goal of this project is for the Timor-Leste to be better enabled to meet their obligations under the three Rio Conventions.  This requires the country to have the necessary capacities to coordinate efforts, as well as best practices for integrating global environmental priorities into planning, decision-making, and reporting processes.  To that end, the objective of this project is to strengthen institutional capacity for effectively managing information systems for national MEA obligations and monitoring impact and progress.

This project will be carried out via four linked components:  Component 1 focuses on enhanced institutional and technical capacities to use data and information for planning and decision-making; Component 2 focuses on coordination of technical directorates; Component 3 focuses on global environmental obligations mainstreamed into select sectoral policies, legislation, plans and programmes; and Component 4 focuses on enhanced awareness and value of the global environment.

Project’s component 1: enhanced institutional and technical capacities to use data and information for planning and decision-making on cross-cutting global environmental issues is targeted to improve planning and decision-making in Timor-Leste to meet global environmental obligations. Main activities under this component will set out to increase and improve access to data and information related to meeting Rio Convention obligations.  Particular attention will be given to creating knowledge and training on how to use best practices and innovative approaches to reconcile and create synergies among national socio-economic and global environmental priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key objective of the consultancy is to strengthen systems and processes in Timor-Leste for managing key environmental data and information across key ministries.

1. Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the CTA/Project Manager. S/he will work closely with the CTA/Project Manager and relevant staff of Secretary of State for Environment to provide:

• Institutional Mapping: Undertake institutional mapping of key actors involved in environmental data and information management in Timor-Leste.  This includes an in-depth baseline analysis of data and information sources and flows.
• Data Needs Identification:

• Prepare an annotated outline and methodology for the identification of data that needs to be collected and for identification of existing databases to be the part of environmental information management system in environmental information management system in agreement with SSE and UNDP;
• Identify data that needs to be collected in environmental information management system as databases on the basis of findings of data needs assessments;
• Identify existing databases to be the part of environmental information management system

• SWOT Analysis: Conduct a SWOT and gap analysis of existing decision-making processes and existing information management systems.
• Feasibility Study: Prepare a feasibility study on an improved and integrated electronic platform for information-sharing including identification of the ways for integrating existing databases into a networked environmental information management system following best practices.

Competencies

1. Key Deliverables and Timeframe:

Key deliverables and expected timeframe is given below:

Required Skills and Experience

1. Required Qualifications and Competencies:

I.  Academic Qualifications:

• A postgraduate degree (masters or higher) in a subject related to environmental/social science, statistics, information management system or database management.

II.  Experience and skills

• Working experience of minimum 5 years in related field;
• Demonstrated understanding of monitoring and reporting obligations under the three Rio Conventions;
• Good research capacities;
• Working experience with international organizations for similar assignments would be an asset;
• Knowledge of the environmental data management system would be an asset;
• Capacity to analyze data and information;

III.  Competencies:

• Proven ability to work with other experts
• Excellent writing skills
• Demonstrated ability to liaise and co-operate with various stakeholders
• Pro-active approach to problem-solving

IV.  Language:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; knowledge of Portuguese/Tetun would be advantageous.

1. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

Lump Sum Contract

The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a LUMP SUM amount that is all-inclusive of all costs, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the template provided. The amount should be inclusive of professional fees, travel costs (travel to duty station and repatriation), living allowance (not exceeding UN’s standard DSA rates as approved by ICSC for Timor-Leste), insurance, communication etc.

In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Consultant wish to travel business class he/she should do so using their own resources. If a Consultant is employed by an organization or company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Consultant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

1. Evaluation Criteria for Selection:

Combined scoring method including 70% of technical and 30% of financial will be used for evaluation and selection of suitable candidates.    

1. Recommended Submission of Offer:

Prospective candidates must submit the following documents to demonstrate their qualification:

1. Duly completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and availability.
2. Personal CV and P11 form, indicating all experience from similar projects as well as contact details including e-mail and phone number of the candidate and at least three professional references. template can be downloaded here http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=57685
3. Proposed Methodology of the assignment.
4. Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price. A break-down of this lump sum amount by deliverables to be provided by the candidates. template can be downloaded here http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=57685

Incomplete applications will not be considered for assessment.

The deadline for submitting applications is 05 August 2019.

1. Approval: